Arsenal transfer news: Arsene Wenger on rumours linking Victor Wanyama with a move to the Emirates

Arsenal are in dire need of a defensive midfielder in the January transfer window

The great defensive midfielder conundrum – "Who are you going to buy Arsene?" will be the number one question that the Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will face over the next few weeks when he takes his place in front of the media to give his more-often-than-not deadpan replies.

Victor Wanyama is the latest name to crop up in the can-he-replace-the-crocked-Francis-Coquelin poser, with various media outlets claiming Arsenal are ready to sign the Southampton midfielder when the transfer window opens wide in January.

Asked about Wenger's interest in Wanyama, the Arsenal manager gave the kind of "yes and no" reply we have come to expect over the years.

"I rate him as a player," Wenger said about Wanyama, the big tower of strength in Southampton's midfield. "But we are not on the case."

While Wanyama will bring with him that quality Wenger so admires – English Premier League experience – the Kenya international's passing range is a bit suspect, and when you are at Arsenal, even a defensive midfield player is expected to be able to spray the ball around – not like a Santi Cazorla maybe, but not far off from that either.

Coquelin's passing range is highly underrated, and while Mathieu Flamini is not the greatest in terms of keeping the ball – he did give possession away a few times in the last few matches – the Frenchman has experience on his side.

Arsenal have also been linked with the likes of William Carvalho and Ruben Neves, two Portuguese players who will cost a pretty penny to bring in during the January transfer window.

Neves is the kind of player that Wenger likes – quite young with bags of potential, and the FC Porto man has already showed he has an old head on his considerably young shoulders.

Carvalho also has an attribute that Wenger is particularly fond of – versatility – with the midfielder also able to double up as a centre-back when necessary.

There is little doubt that Arsenal need cover in the defensive midfield area; there is also little doubt that whoever Arsenal target in January will come at a hefty price. So, the key for Arsenal will be picking the right player, and hoping he is available, and there is no better man to make that judgement than Wenger.